I have several times asked the city if anybody had tried to apply for environmental grant funding to avoid possible tax increases which the relocation of the power line might cost the residents of St. Albert or all other Albertans. The city manager did not know. Another employee told me that they had not. Why not?

It seems to me that they simply do not want to move the line. I am also told we have the money in the reserve fund for this purpose, and I believe that a one-time expenditure of about $350,000 should not cause a permanent 0.75 tax increase as Mayor Crouse claims.

How much of a tax increase will the proposed off-leash dog areas cost? Permanent maintenance costs will have to be added to the hundreds of thousands dollars of the initial expense .

By the way, as far as I am aware, the power line is not located within the Provincial Park in St. Albert, unless the city has contributed new lands. Since the Park consists of “the bed and shore of Big Lake” within the St. Albert area (other areas include dry lands), the line may cross the park where it spans the river at the edge of the lake.

Elke Blodgett

SINC SAYS:

Sadly, council’s most recent move on this issue has made them look foolish. It is so tacky to back out of a previously made agreement with the other two parties. The move reminds me of asking those pro hockey players for cash to keep their names on those two arenas. That too was viewed as a “no class act” by many residents.